ICE Shooting Leaves Venezuelan DoorDash Driver with Bullet in Back

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and wounded a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash driver, Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, in North Austin, Texas, on Sunday afternoon, September 20, 2026. Garcés Pérez was reportedly making a delivery when the incident occurred, and he sustained a single gunshot wound to the torso or back, requiring hospitalization. Officials stated he was in serious but stable condition before being released into federal custody at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, reportedly with a bullet still lodged near his spine.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified Garcés Pérez as an undocumented immigrant with a final order of removal, stating that ICE agents were conducting targeted enforcement based on license plate checks when they encountered him. However, Garcés Pérez's attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, stated he legally entered the U.S. in 2024 via the CBP One app and applied for asylum, missing a court hearing due to an incorrect address. Garcés Pérez claimed that an unmarked SUV sideswiped him twice before agents activated lights and sirens, and he was shot after asking to stop in a safer location.

The shooting has prompted multiple investigations and calls for transparency. Homeland Security Investigations is leading the federal inquiry with assistance from the FBI. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and Police Chief Lisa Davis have advocated for the involvement of local authorities, including the Austin Police Department and Texas Rangers, to ensure a credible and independent investigation. The incident also sparked protests and drew criticism from several Democratic representatives regarding ICE's conduct and the driver's welfare.